To minimize inconsistencies in hyphenation practices, written English should accurately transcribe spoken English by indicating every open- or plus-juncture with a hyphen ("Plus-juncture" is the special transition the speaker makes between two compound nouns.). Even young native speakers of English can readily perceive semantic and phonological differences between nouns used together as a phrase and those used as a compound ("Sound system" is pronounced with a plus-juncture when used as a compound to mean "a system of sounds," but pronounced without plus-juncture when used as a phrase to mean "a system that is sound."). Thus, a consistent phonological hyphenation would separate nouns used as a compound with a hyphen at every plus-juncture. This system would include hyphenating every noun-noun compound at the plus-juncture between uneven stresses (e.g., speech-community, non-identical), all nonce-compounds (e.g., interchangeability-factor), all longer sequences of nouns at every plus-juncture (e.g., shoe-store-window-sign), and coordinate members of compounds in the spaces separating them (e.g., grammar- and usage-manuals). (JB)